Archive for May, 2013

The outstanding thing about CupCoffeeCo., which serves a perfectly fine cup of Stumptown coffee, is the plentiful seating. Inside, outside, upstairs, downstairs, front, back, side. Bright pick/red umbrellas anchor the decks on this repurposed older house. With metal mesh tables, the decks, front and side, at least, are pleasantly flocked with bushes. Dogs are welcome on the decks also, and because Cup is situated on a slight hill, from the deck you can peer down over the greenery.

The “working” part of the coffeeshop is tucked in a room under an arch; the rest of the main floor is seating: chairs, tables, some with vivid upholstery. A modern bookshelf in the side room holds some reading material, a wooden fireplace provides a front-room focus, and one chalkboard-painted wall by the service area serves as special menu and community services board. The cellar steps near the rear door are intriguing but dark, and at the base is a huge room, brightly-painted, with lots of tables, and a couch area by a sidewalk entrance. Oh, yes, there’s also a knight guarding some bright yellow pipes (and daring people to enter the cellar?) , for some odd reason. The ambience is spaciousness, perhaps to the point of excess, and Cup is decorated rather simply with new, IKEA-style materials. Even the bathroom walls are covered with spots of mirrors. Cup offers password-protected WIFI, but, surprisingly, nobody was using it when we were there.

Fare: As I said, Stumptown coffee is moderately-priced. They serve quiche, bagel sandwiches, vegan pastries, and a breakfast burrito, and use hemp milk for lattes, if desired, and serve a Townshend tea. To mention a few options.

Service and Clientele: From kids to an older woman, but there was no adaptation for children. Service? No problems; nice enough. Apparently the roomy place is sometimes well-used by students, but not during this visit. They would have had laptops?